Waiting For Sunrise
by chlorineobsession
Summary: [Shikatema] It wasn't like he hadn't seen it coming, he just chose to ignore the thoughts that told him: "She'll never be yours." Shikamaru X Temari. Mentions of Domestic violence/ some swear words. Just a warning!


_A/N: Inspired by the song Everything Will Be Alright by The Killers. Honestly, idk what I think of this piece-I was just bored I guess. Please let me know what y'all think!_

 _Naruto ain't mine._

* * *

 _I believe in you and me._

 _I'm coming to find you._

 _If it takes me all night._

* * *

She gasped as he caught up to her and wrapped his arms around her middle.

"You never said goodbye,"

She smiled and turned to face him, raising an eyebrow.

"You're out of breath."

"I've noticed,"

She tugged on his arm and led him into an empty alley way, allowing him to cage her against the wall and trail kisses down her neck.

"Okay, I seriously have to go now," she said between whimpers as his hand started exploring beneath her kimono.

"Hnn, but do you really _have_ to?" he mumbled, his lips still pressed against her flesh.

"Yes. I do."

She wiggled out of his grasp and gave him a brief but lingering kiss.

"I'll see you next month , crybaby. Don't miss me too much,"

After straightening out her kimono and dusting some dirt off the back of it, she gave him one last look and a brief nod.

"You're not even saying bye?"

"I hate saying goodbye, have you never noticed?" She raised her eyebrow and gave him another smile that caused his heart to stutter.

"See you around. Come find me when I come back."

And with that, she was gone.

As he watched her disappear into the horizon, he thought back on the last few weeks of his life-easily the best.

He had asked Temari on a date months ago, but they hadn't had time for it what with missions and other miscellaneous jobs. During her visit, he had convinced Kakashi to make him her guide, the man had given him a knowing look and a happy nod.

The date went well, and he had walked her back to her apartment, chattering as their breaths feathered out from their mouths in the cold night air, forming small clouds, but neither of them were cold- the sake kept them warm.

She invited him in when they reached her apartment, he graciously declined, she politely insisted.

The next day, he woke up to find himself in her bed wearing his boxers.

She wasn't next to him.

He stood up and shuffled to the kitchen where he found Temari dressed in nothing but his t-shirt and her underwear.

"Mornin'" she smirked, reaching up for a glass from one of the overhead cabinets and revealing a scandalous amount of leg while she was at it.

"What?" She asked when she caught him staring.

"Troublesome," he shook his head and took the glass that she'd offered him.

"There's pineapple juice in the fridge."

"I hate pineapple."

"... Get out of my house." She said with a serious expression which lasted only seconds. "How can you hate pineapple? It's the best!"

He cringed and poured himself a half glass of the thing before she could give out any more to him.

Turning to face her, he found that she was comfortably seated on the kitchen counter with her legs crossed at the ankles.

"Well?" She asked after he took a sip.

"It's not _that_ bad." He admitted, taking another swallow.

She smiled triumphantly over her small victory and beckoned him over so that she could pour herself a drink.

"I'm always right you know."

He rolled his eyes and leaned against the counter.

"I'm sure you are."

She chuckled and put her hand on his shoulder.

"You'd be surprised."

He drained his glass and rinsed it out in the sink, mildly aware of the fact that her eyes were trained on him.

"Hey, Shikamaru, thanks for last night. It was um... Fun."

"Fun? What part?"

She blushed but glared at him at the same time.

"Was there any part that _wasn't_ fun to you?" She snapped. It was a dare.

He walked around to face her. It had been years since he'd outgrown her, but with her seated on the kitchen counter, he had to angle his head slightly upwards to meet her eyes.

"Nope, I enjoyed it all," he said simply, grinning to himself when he heard her breath catch at their close proximity.

"That doesn't mean I don't want more though," he smirked as he leaned forward to kiss her, far less reserved than he had been the night before.

He felt her smile and he brought his hand up to lean against the cabinet that she'd taken the glass from as she wrapped her arms around his neck, taking advantage of the angle she was at.

His hand worked its way up from her knee to her hip, marvelling at the expanse of smooth skin as it continued its journey up, past her waist, ribcage-

"Shikamaru," she said huskily as she pulled away from him, much to his disappointment.

"Yes, Troublesome?"

She chuckled at his expression and tugged on his ponytail.

"I have to get going, I'm meeting Kakashi in half an hour."

"Kakashi is _always_ late,"

"I know, but I'm always on time, and I intend to keep it that way."

He huffed and moved away from her, pouring himself another glass of pineapple juice.

She laughed again and gave him a swift kiss before heading to her bedroom to get dressed.

"If you do your job well today, I might let you pick up where you left off tonight."

* * *

 _And I won't forget you, at least I'll try._

 _And run, and run tonight._

* * *

He pushed off his mask as he came closer to her.

"A deer, nice," he smirked as she took off her own mask and stepped in closer to him.

"Hn, I chose it myself," she grinned. "You like?"

"To be honest, I prefer what I find _under_ the mask."

"And the robe too I'll bet," she added, rolling her eyes.

"Your bet is right on the money, you're no Tsunade, that's for sure."

She bit back a laugh and began walking towards her apartment.

"It's been a while," she observed.

"Hn."

"Has much changed?"she asked tentatively.

"Nah, they opened a café near the Hokage building though. Ino says it's pretty good, the Hyuuga compound got an extension as well."

She nodded absent-mindedly as they walked.

"Hey, you okay?" Shikamaru asked, concerned.

"Huh? Yeah." She turned away from him and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

He frowned but said nothing, deciding not to push the issue.

When they reached the apartment she unlocked the door and invited him in.

He graciously declined, she politely insisted.

He stepped inside and the moment the door closed behind them, his lips were on hers.

Three months. He could hardly last _three months_ without her.

"Shikamaru," she said calmly, pushing him off of her.

Something was definitely wrong.

"Temari, what's going on?" He asked, holding her hands in his and looking intently at her face for any indication as to what had her acting so strangely.

"I-er," she mumbled. "I'm with someone at the moment."

She looked at the ground as she leaned back against the wall and allowed herself to sink to the floor, clutching her knees.

He left moments after the words left her mouth.

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

It wasn't like he needed her. She was just some girl he hooked up with a few times.

A childhood crush.

Nothing more.

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

He knew it wasn't her choice.

It couldn't have been.

She had said she loved him.

Had she not meant it?

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

Why did it have to be _her_? Why not some average girl?

She was practically royalty. _Foreign_ royalty.

He didn't love her.

No.

Of course he didn't.

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

Love was stupid.

So why was he making his way back to her apartment?

He had to speak to her.

She couldn't have done it on purpose.

Could she?

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

He found her in tears.

When she saw him, she allowed him to wrap his arms around her.

Curled up on the ground beside the open door.

There was a draft.

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

It was cold.

He felt cold.

Numb.

How could he have let all these things happen?

She didn't choose for these things to happen.

Fate was so out of reach.

* * *

 _I wasn't shopping for a doll._

 _To say the least, I thought, I'd seen them all._

* * *

He had only ever wanted a normal life.

Nothing troublesome.

A plain enough wife, two kids.

And although he could still have that, happiness seemed so out of reach. He was galaxies away from joy.

So he held her silently, neither of them spoke as they waited for sunrise.

The sun was cold.

"It's okay," he whispered into her hair.

It was only normal for wealthy men to want too court the young, royal beauty.

They had the money. The power.

They were rich enough to be acceptable suitors.

It wasn't like he hadn't seen it coming, he just chose to ignore the thoughts that constantly reminded him: "She'll never be yours."

He wasn't looking for a relationship or love or anything before he met her. Before he fell in love with her.

She changed him in the most beautiful and terrifying ways.

"Try be happy."

She shook her head.

"If it's not you, I don't know how I could ever be happy."

He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He had to be strong. When Temari was down, he was front-line, that's how it had always been between them, and it was his turn to save her.

"Everything will be alright," he said.

"It's always been you, Shikamaru. I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

"Yeah."

"We'll be okay" _will we?_ "We'll be alright." _Apart, but alright._

 _Right?_

Left. Who's left? Who's wrong?

What's right? A direction? Accuracy?

 _She'll be alright_. That was all that mattered. He'll be alright. Left behind. But okay.

 _It's okay_. He told himself.

 _It's alright._

* * *

 _But then you took me by surprise,_

 _I'm dreaming bout those dreamy eyes._

 _I never knew, I never knew._

* * *

He wondered when it was that he'd first realised how he felt about her.

When did simple awe and admiration become easy to distinguish from romantic attraction?

It may have been that time she saved him from Tayuya. Or the time he saved her...

Either way, it wasn't when, it was _how_.

It was her smile. Her eyes. Her laugh. Her words.

Her amazing eyes-a colour he thought non-existent for ones irises, but there she was, teal eyes and all

That thousand watt smile that made his heart stammer in a horridly clichéd way.

He was surprised that he could feel that way about someone, he'd genuinely convinced himself that he was aromatic, but of course she had to turn around and make him question everything he ever thought he knew.

"Is he nice?"

She nodded gently in his arms.

"He's been very kind to me. He says he didn't have a say in it, his father set us up. Gaara was shocked that I didn't kill him for accepting the offer. We'll probably be married by the end of the year."

That left how many months? Five?

"Political?"

Another nod.

"Where is he from?"

"Kumogakure."

He said nothing.

"I'll visit you more regularly. Before the wedding, that is. I'll be moving to Kumo afterwards. Hoki's family is involved in the funding for the new irrigation system that we're planning to install."

When the sun eventually showed itself hours later, they were in her bedroom, a tangled mess of limbs.

"Do you love me?"

The question took him by surprise, but he had the answer ready in a heartbeat.

"Of course." If only that weren't the truth.

"Shikamaru, please don't miss me. That'll just make it harder. For both of us."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close.

"I can't promise anything." He mumbled. "Surely you could ask Gaara..."

"I'm not backing out of this Shikamaru. When I say I'm doing something, I'm doing it." Her tone was firm. "It's for Suna."

"For Suna." He agreed.

Of course she'd accept the offer if it were for the good of Suna.

"We'll be alright."

"Yeah,"

"We'll be fine."

"Hn."

"We can still be frie-"

"Shikamaru, I have to go."

She stood from the bed and began dressing herself. Her expression showed no emotion, not even sadness.

"I'm officially resigning a liaison."

Of course she was-she didn't do things half-way.

He walked her to the Hokage building where she had a swift meeting with Kakashi.

They went back to the apartment, played shōgi and drank pineapple juice. They didn't talk much, they didn't laugh or joke.

"I'll be back next month," Temari said as he walked her to the gates. "See you."

He waved. He'd stopped expecting the words"goodbye" a long time ago.

He knew she hated that word.

* * *

 _So take your suitcase cos I don't mind._

 _And baby doll I meant it every time,_

* * *

"Hey,"

"Hi,"

"..."

"..."

"It's next month, right?"

"...yeah."

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Fine."

He gave her the chestnuts he'd bought for her and she took then with a small smile-a rare sight these days.

"Thankyou."

They walked her apartment and she unlocked the door.

She invited him in, he graciously declined.

She didn't insist.

After the door slowly clicked shut, he leaned against it and let himself sink to the ground.

So much for making the most of the time they had left together.

The door opened suddenly and he rolled back into her apartment.

"You could have just accepted the offer you know," she snickered, the ghost of a smile flickering upon her face.

"Etiquette,"

"Etiquette my ass."

They spent the night together as they always did when she came to Konoha.

The next day, when she moved to leave, he held her tightly.

"Please don't do it."

"Shikamaru, I'll be back tonight, I'm only dropping off the formal invitations."

"Not that, the wedding. Don't... Don't leave me. Hell, I'll propose right here and now if that's-"

"Shikamaru," she said sharply. "I am betrothed to a noble lord from Kumogakure, and I will not risk damaging the ties that my country has formed just because of some silly fling."

He stared at her.

"Is that all this ever was to you? A _'silly fling_ ' ?!"

"No, I didn't mean it like Tha-"

"No. Fuck that." He stood from the bed and pulled on his clothes, not caring to look for his hair tie.

"Shikama-"

"Bye." He closed the door behind him. No, he slammed the door behind him as he left the apartment.

He loved her. And she just called it a _fling_?! Was that all it was to her? Casual sex? No strings?

"Shikamaru!"

A hand grabbed him by the collar and forced him to stop.

He spun around, expecting to see her crying or upset.

A dull pain flashed across his face as she struck him.

"Don't you _dare_ insinuate that I have no feelings for you." She growled. "But if you expect me to put our relationship before my country, you are _gravely_ mistaken."

She stalked away from him, a small group of people who had stood to watch the scuffle dispersed and left him standing alone in the street.

He saw her off at the village gates, they walked in silence, having not seen each other since she'd slapped him. When they made it to the gate, she turned to him and gazed into his eyes.

"Goodbye." She said. The word she hated.

It was too finite. The definite full stop to what they had.

"Goodbye."

* * *

 _You don't need to compromise._

 _I'm dreaming bout those dreamy eyes,_

* * *

It was like a slap in the face to receive an invitation to her wedding.

She wasn't in charge of them, and he only got it because he was the Hokage's advisor-in-training. It still stung.

"Will you be going?" Kakashi asked him.

"No."

"Are you not friends?"

"I wouldn't want to intrude."

He had moved on, had he not? He had a girlfriend, she wasn't Temari, but imaginations were there for a reason.

If he had known that falling for Temari would only lead to a troublesome lifetime of pure bitterness, he'd have steered well clear of her from the beginning.

Ino was going to the wedding, she excitedly picked out a pale dress.

"You should take Shiho with you! She's never left the village!"

He ignored her.

At night, it would be Temari's eyes he'd dream of.

He was alright, he was okay.

"Shikamaru, I want you to be my escort." Kakashi said simply.

He wasn't bothered arguing with him.

* * *

 _I never knew, I never knew,_

 _But it's alright…_

* * *

Temari looked stunning, but fragile.

He never knew she could look so beautiful. Maybe it was because he hadn't seen her in so long.

For since reason, he wanted her to know that he was there for her.

She wasn't smiling.

As she walked in with her new husband, her eyes were tilted towards the floor.

For a split second, he allowed his emotions to get the better of him, and he held her with his shadow, causing her to silently gasp.

Her eyes shot up and she scanned the room for brief moments before she settled her gaze on him.

She looked away, with only a curt nod of acknowledgement.

The reception was not one of celebration. Formalities more than anything.

The husband didn't once look at Temari. She didn't look at him. Or at Shikamaru.

The trip back to Konoha was long.

Shiho greeted him at the gate with a wide smile which he begrudgingly forced himself to return.

How wonderful it would be if he could just love her.

How simple it could have been.

He saw her a few times. Formal events which she attended were few and far apart, but she was still there.

Silent and distant.

"Shikamaru?"

He turned to see her walking towards him.

How long had it been?

 _Four years, eleven months and a week, give or take a couple of days,_ his mind answered for him.

He smiled weakly at her, unsure of what to say-the last words that they'd exchanged had been tense " good bye"s.

Here they were, an inauguration in Sunagakure, Shikamaru had allowed Naruto, who was now Hokage, to talk him into going with him.

"Hello, Temari."

She gave him a smile that didn't reach her eyes as she pointed towards the buffet table.

"Don't look suspicious," she said with an expression one might wear when recommending a summer wine.

He followed her gaze and looked at the table, pretending to be considering something, expertly furrowing his brow and nodding.

"What's going on?" He asked in an undertone

"I just can't do this anymore, Shikamaru," she said, before laughing as though she'd suggested something absurd.

He chuckled, but he was beginning to worry.

"What do you me-"

"Ah, Temari, I've been looking for you!"

Temari spun to face her husband, fear flashing momentarily across her face.

"Oh, hello. I was catching up with an old friend," Temari said lightly, swiftly regaining her composure.

Shikamaru nodded, "We were just observing the _wonderful_ buffet selection, have you taken a look at it yet?" He asked.

The older man gave him a dismissive and condescending look.

"Who might _you_ be?"

"This is Shikamaru Nara, dear," Temari explained, with a slight wince as she called her husband "dear", like she were spitting out a mouthful of bile. "Chief advisor to the Hokage."

His expression seemed to shift slightly, as though he already knew that that was the case.

"Ah, would you care to join me for a round of sake?" He asked, a glint of curiosity in his eye.

"I would love to, but as advisor, I'm discouraged from drinking at formal events."

"I see." The man said.

"Dear, we should probably ge-"

"Mama!" The group turned to see a small boy no older than three toddle up to them, purposefully plodding along placing one foot carefully in front of the other as he made his way to Temari and wrapped his arm around her legs.

After a second of panic, Temari picked him up and held him in her arms.

"What is it, Dai? What are you doing out of the hotel?"

"Yuri said I could go see you!"

Temari raised her eyebrows at that.

"Did she now?"

Shikamaru watched the interaction with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Even if Temari didn't love her husband, she _definitely_ loved the kid that she was holding in her arms.

A young woman with messy hair tied into a bun stumbled over to them.

"Hoki-sama, I'm so sorry," she panted, nodding in greeting to Temari.

The man turned to look at her and sneered.

"You allowed my son to leave his rooms without my express permission?"

"N-no, I don't know how he managed to leave! The doors were all closed and-"

"Enough of your nonsense, you are dismissed. I'll find a more _suitable_ minder next time,". He turned to his son and pointed a finger menacingly in the boy's face.

"And _you_ ," he growled. "I thought I told you _not_ to leave your rooms without permission. Was I imagining things?!"

The boy gave a fearful shake of his head and tucked his face into his mother's shoulder.

"Hoki, dear, he was only exploring..."

"Are you encouraging this kind of behaviour?" Hoki asked, turning his attention to Temari.

"No, I'm simply implying that you're going too hard on him."

The man was furious.

"Disrespectful _scum_!" He spat. "You foreign _whores_ think you can simply speak to someone above your status with such contempt?!" He gave a cold sharp laugh. "We will discuss this later."

Shikamaru was seething. It took all his self control not to punch the man.

" _Women_ ," Hoki sighed, giving Shikamaru a knowing shake of the head. "They're only good at one thing,"

Taking a deep breath, Shikamaru clasped his hands behind his back. If he hit the man, it would only cause problems.

"I have to get going," he said through gritted teeth, "It was nice seeing you, Temari. I hope we'll meet again."

He didn't acknowledge Hoki.

Turning on his heel, he walked towards the buffet table where Naruto was excitedly adding toppings to his Ramen.

"Hokage-sama, when will we be leaving?" He asked.

"Whenever I finish this ramen!" The blond said excitedly.

How that guy could run a country, Shikamaru had no idea.

 _That's what I'm here for_ , he told himself.

He felt a tug on his shirt and looked down to see Temari's son looking up at him with eyes that could only have been inherited from her.

"You know mama?" The boy asked.

Shikamaru crouched to look at the boy.

"Yes, I do." He said kindly. Poor kid.

The boy gave a serious nod and squinted at Shikamaru.

"You have earrings," he observed, tugging on the small hoops before bringing his hands towards his own earlobes and pouting when he felt that there was nothing there.

"Yes, I do." Shikamaru chuckled. "How are Gaara and Kankurō, do you know?"

"... I'm not allowed to see them, Father says."

Father? He couldn't even call him dad.

"I'm sorry to hear." Shikamaru said. "You should probably head back to your mother before she gets worried." He patted the boy's head. He had short black hair, cut close to his head, in the same style as his father.

"I'm not allowed. Mama sent me away because father wanted to speak to her."

Naruto walked over to the two of them.

"Hey, I've finished my- woah! That kid looks like you, Shikamaru! Who did _you_ knock up?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and was about to give out to Naruto when he took a good look at Dai and realised that Naruto was actually right.

The boy's hair was short, but it was the exact same colour as his own.

He had Temari's eyes but his skin was like Shikamaru's. He also had the same shaped face.

 _Holy shit._

"Dai, when's your birthday?"

He frowned at Shikamaru and held up his hands.

Ten, ten, three. Twenty third.

"September."

"What age are you?"

Another frown.

Three fingers.

 _Holyholyholyshit._

Shikamaru wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Can you give me a second please?" He asked Naruto.

How had Naruto noticed before him?!

The blond nodded and practically skipped back to the buffet table for a sixth serving of food.

"Where's your mama, Dai?" Shikamaru asked the boy who was most likely his son.

"I _told_ you, we can't talk to her right know. She's with father." He huffed. "And stop calling me Dai, only Mama can call me that."

"What would you rather I call you?"

He puffed out his chest and gave a proud smile.

"Shikadai!" He said, pointing at his face with a chubby hand.

"Where is Temari?" Shikamaru asked, willing the fluttering sensation in his belly to go away.

"At the hotel room. You can't go see her though, or father will be angry. Mama doesn't want other people to get hurt as well."

 _As well?_

"If you take me to her, I won't let anyone get hurt."

"But Mama doesn't want people to see her when father is being mean to her."

Shikamaru had to keep the annoyance and frustration out of his voice as he held Shikadai at arms length and looked him in the eyes.

"You have to take me to her," he said, carefully pronouncing every syllable. "I'll make sure he's never mean to her ever again, okay?"

The child gave him an uncertain look before nodding solemnly.

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

He heard an angry voice on the other side of the door and decided against knocking.

Kicking the door down, he stormed right into the room and grabbed Hoki by the collar, slamming him against the wall.

"WHAT THE _FUCK_ IS YOUR PROBLEM?!" he yelled in to older man's face.

He looked petrified.

"DID YOU HEAR ME?!"

He gave a shaky nod.

"THEN ANSWER!" he slammed the man against the wall again for effect.

"I-I do-n't know w-what-"

"BULLSHIT!"

He pinned Hoki to the wall using his shadow and pointed at Temari who was seated on the bed with her kimono slipping from her shoulders revealing fresh bruises.

"WHAT DO YOU CALL _THAT_?!"

The man opened and closed his mouth but no words came out.

Shikamaru punched him, instantly drawing blood.

"YOU. SICK. _BASTARD._ " He yelled, striking him after every word he spoke.

"Shi-Shikamaru... Don't, please!"

Temari shakily made her way towards him and placed a hand on his arm.

"It'll only cause problems if you-"

"I'll handle the consequences, are you okay?"

She gave a cold laugh.

"I'm fine. Nothing I'm not used to."

Shikamaru turned his attention back to Hake and released his shadow's grip, holding him instead by the throat.

"Listen here," he said softly, keeping his face close to Hoki's so that there would be no fear of him misunderstanding his words.

" You will tell no one of what happened here. You will let Temari and her son leave Kumogakure and you won't cease the funding that your company sends to Suna for their irrigation system.

"If you break a single one of these rules, you'll die in a heartbeat _. Do I make myself perfectly clear_?"

The man gulped, but nodded.

"I will find out the moment you tell anyone about this. I expect you to go file for a divorce the moment you return home. Temari will not be coming with you."

With that, he released the man and gave him a threatening look.

"I've bound you to my shadow, it will instantly kill you if you even consider telling someone or going back on your word," he growled, briefly catching a glimpse of Temari smirking to his left.

She knew he'd made that up, but Hoki hadn't a clue. He paled and nodded again, slumping to the ground when Shikamaru looked away from him.

"Temari," he said, stepping up to her and fixing her kimono over her shoulders.

He gave her an apologetic look when she winced as he's thumb brushed across a particularly dark bruise.

"Thank you," she whispered, holding him close and pressing her face into his chest.

"Thankyou so much, Shikamaru."

He held her back gently, unsure of where else she might be bruised.

"You shouldn't have gone this far for Suna, Tem."

She shook her head, "I'm so _so_ sorry."

"It's alright,"

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

"I know,"

"W-What?"

"Even Naruto noticed. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that I'm Shikadai's dad."

He gave her a pointed look which made her blush. How long had it been since he'd seen that look in her eye?

They'd booked a hotel room for the night, Shikamaru could have gone home, but he didn't want to leave Temari's side, not after all the time they'd spent apart.

"We'll sort everything out tomorrow, alright? Don't worry."

She nodded and snuggled in closer to him.

He stroked her hair and allowed his hand to rest on her waist.

"I've missed you, Shikamaru."

"Me too, Tem."

They stayed like that for hours as they waited for sunrise.

The next day would be the beginning of the rest of their lives.

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

"... Dad?"

"That's right."

Shikadai eyed his father skeptically before shaking his head.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Dai-Chan. I'm sure."

The boy brushed his hair out of his face before bringing his hands up to his ears.

"Do I get earrings too?"

Shikamaru laughed.

"If you want son, you can have earrings."

The boy gave the first wide smile that Shikamaru had ever seen from him and nodded excitedly.

"Okay, you can be my Dad."

* * *

 _Everything will be alright._

* * *

It was all settled.

The divorce was officially finalised a few weeks after Shikamaru's... "intervention", and the payments were still being made to Sunagakure.

Temari's bruises healed over time and she gradually regained her sharp wit and tongue.

"Pineapple juice?" She offered when Shikamaru shuffled into the kitchen to find her wearing his t-shirt and her underwear.

"Sure, I haven't had some in years." He said, strolling over to the counter and accepting the glass she offered him.

"Thanks, Tem," he mumbled, giving her a swift kiss as she seated herself on the kitchen counter.

"Any time."

"Ew _gross_ mom! Get dressed!"

They jumped at the sound of Shikadai's voice and Shikamaru's hand quickly moved away from Temari's thigh as their son plodded into the kitchen.

His hair had grown long enough to be tied back, but he still didn't tie it up himself, claiming that the action was far too "Troublesome,".

"I _am_ dressed kid," Temari snapped, pouring him a drink.

The three of them sat down at the table and enjoyed their breakfast as a family.

Troublesome as it was, they wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
